


Putting the Plan Into Action

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-09
Updated: 2002-02-09
Packaged: 2019-05-15 12:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14790597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh puts his plan to get Donna to say "I love You" into action with some help from other staffers and Joey Lucas.





	Putting the Plan Into Action

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Putting the Plan into Action**

**by:** Christina 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Spoilers:** All of Season 3 up through Bartlet for America is fair game  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Summary:** : Prequels: "The Wisdom of Joey Lucas" and "Coming Up With a Plan". Josh puts his plan to get Donna to say "I love You" into action with some help from other staffers and Joey Lucas. 

**Thursday- Day One**

**Josh's POV:**

I woke up today feeling refreshed and ready for the challenge that I am up against: making Donna say that she loves me. We had a great talk last night. We discussed so may different topics and I listened happily as she spouted off trivia on so many different subjects. As much as I feign annoyance when she does this at work, I really get a kick out of it, and more often then not, I end up repeating what she told me to make a point in a meeting at a later date.

Anyway, today is the day that I have to fill in the President and the rest of the Senior Staff on my desire to date my assistant. I really hope that goes well because after that, I have to ask Donna to go with me to the State Dinner next Saturday and I need presidential approval to be able to do that. That is why I'm currently sitting in the presidential dinning room where the President, Leo, CJ, Toby, Sam, and I going over the speech that the President will be giving to the governors convention this weekend. After polishing up the speech, I will be seeking his approval in my plan to ask Donna to be my date to the State dinner. As Sam predicted, that took little time as the speech was in good shape due to the attention Toby and Sam had devoted to it yesterday.

"Well if that's done, is there anything else that needs my attention because if not, we will be spending the rest of lunch discussing the things Notre Dame's new football coach need to do to improve their football program and make it to the national championship next year," the President said. CJ looks as if she is grasping for anything that will avoid another discussion of Notre Dame although she now knows better than to say it. Well, I guess now is as good of a time as any for me to ask so here goes.

"Mr. President, I actually needed to speak with you about something of personal importance," I said.

"You sound very serious Josh. What is it?" he asked. Suddenly all eyes are focused on me and I find my self praying that my plan doesn't meet with too much resistance from my friends. Well, I better just say it before I lose my nerve.

"Charlie, would you mind closing the door. You can stay, but I don't want any of our female, gossip loving assistants so walk in." That earned me a slap to the head from CJ, but Charlie did as I ask. I trust Charlie so I really don't mind if he stays for this conversation. "Um, well I've been thinking lately.." I start but am interrupted by Toby.

"Oh no, that can't be a good thing," he says.

I frown at him before continuing "As I was saying, Mr. President, I would like to ask your permission for me to ask Donna to be my date to the State Dinner next Saturday." Before I finish, the entire room erupts as everyone begins talking at once. They are all smiling though so that's a very good sign. I heard the phrase "its about time" from nearly everyone in the room. The President soon silences them.

"Well, Josh you have my whole hearted blessing to ask Donna. I must say I am exceedingly pleased that you and Donna have finally admitted to each other how you feel," the President said with a grin.

"Well, actually Sir, we haven't yet." Now everyone is staring at me like I've grown a third arm or something. "We had a talk about our friendship and she's no longer mad at me, but there were no feelings confessed. Asking her to the State Dinner is just step one in my plan."

"Is this plan similar to your secret plan to fight inflation?" Toby ask. I can't believe he still hasn't let up on me for that. I scowl at him again. He's in a very sarcastic mood, but he actually does that when he's happy and doesn't want to show it. I know that although he'll make fun of it, he'll help in the plan if I ask him to.

"No, I actually did come up with a plan. Oh wipe those skeptical looks off your faces, Sam and Joey helped so this is not some idiot-Josh plan."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense. Tell us about the plan," CJ urged.

"Well the goal of the plan is to get Donna to tell me she loves me at the State Dinner at which time I will of course say it back."

"What kind of moron are you? You're the man, you have to say it first" CJ explained.

"Relax over there, Ms. Feminesta. It's the 21st century. There's nothing wrong with girls saying it first," I reply.

"No, of course there is nothing wrong with it, but it'll never happen. You'll never get Donna to say it first. How the hell do you plan on doing that?" CJ asks.

"Well, I will be my charming self and make her feel special for the next ten days, doing all I can to let her know how I feel without saying it or kissing her. Sam and Joey are working out the details I just need her to say it first." I explain.

"It'll never happen but I'm willing to help you try." She says and the others all offer their help.

"Thanks. The first thing I need is for all of you to come over for a movie at my place tomorrow night. Well, except for you Mr. President because as much as we would love to have you, I don't think the secret service would allow it. Anyway, ask Sam and Joey if there is anything else you need to do. Well, I need to go ask Donna about the State Dinner. Wish me luck" and with that I headed off to my office.

**The Presidential Dinning Room just after Josh made his exit**

**Sam's POV:**

As soon as Josh left the room, CJ started talking again.

"His ego is even bigger than I thought. He'll never get her to say it first. He's going to have to swallow his words as just say it because as much as Donna loves him, there is no way she'll ever get up the nerve to admit it first." CJ concludes. I have to disagree. Joey and I have already worked out some very cunning details to add to the plan that will make Donna melt. She may not even make it to the State Dinner before saying it, but I'm not about to argue with CJ because frankly, she is scares me sometimes and as with Ainsley, I have yet to win an argument with her. I'm hoping someone else her will stick up for Josh. I'm shocked to discover that that person is Leo.

"I think you're wrong CJ. Donna has a lot more courage and insight than we give her credit for. If she thinks he feels the same way, she'll say it first to get the ball rolling," Leo states.

"Do you believe in that enough to place money on it?" CJ asks.

"$100 sound good?" He counters.

"It's a bet," CJ says and they shake on it to make it official. "Well, I have a press briefing to go to." Our lunch then concluded as everyone assured me that they would be at the movie viewing at Josh's apartment tomorrow night and that I should let them know of anything specific that they needed to bring or do. I assured that that I would call each one of them tonight to fill them in on the details. We all left as the President was lamenting his inability to attend.

**Josh's Office- Still Thursday- Day 1**

**Josh's POV:**

I'm sitting in my office trying to work up the nerve to ask Donna to the State Dinner. For some reason, I'm so nervous that I feel like I'm back in high school asking my first girl out on a date. That time sucked because she said no. My ego took a big hit, but its not like Donna's gonna say no, right? I mean everyone seems to think that she likes me, and she was jealous as all hell of Amy. You what, screw it, sitting here is just going to make me more and more nervous and I really have no reason to be. I've just got to take a leap of faith and do it.

"Donnatella Moss!" I bellow as I lean against my desk. What, she could be down the hall and I have to make sure she hears me. It only takes her a second to appear in my door way.

"Now Josh, I know that your hearing starts to go as you get older and someone may need to yell to get your attention, but I'm still young so speaking in a normal tone of voice works fine for me," she says. I refuse to think about the allusion to our age differences. Its no big deal, right? I'm just glad we are back on the right track where we feel free to tease one another. We haven't been doing much of that for a long time so her well intended jest brings a smile to my face. 

"Close the door, would you" I say. She closes the door and then has a seat in my visitors chair. I take a deep breath and then go for it. "I wanted to talk to you about the next Saturday's State Dinner for the ambassadors and presidents of the Latin American countries," I say.

"Okay. Is there something you need me to do in preperation for the Dinner?" She asks.

"Um no. I actually wanted to ask you if you would like to be my date for the Dinner." I say as I look up at her.

"Oh, Josh I would love to," she says with the biggest smile I've seen on her face in recent memory. She also looks like she wants to hug me. What do you know, Lyman was right again because Donna is currently in my arms hugging me tightly. 

"And as an added bonus," I say "I'm giving you this Saturday off to go shopping for a dress."

"Josh you really can be so sweet sometimes. I didn't think men actually thought about the time women have to devote to finding just the right dress. You won't regret giving me the day off. I'll find just the right dress." Red please I find myself hoping although I think she would look beautiful in anything. 

"Oh, one more thing, CJ, Leo, Toby, Sam, Joey, Kenny, Charlie, and Zoey are all coming over to my place at 8 tomorrow night to watch a movie. I'd really like it if you'd come to." 

"That sounds great," she replied.

Oh god, she hasn't let go of me and now she's just staring into my eyes. I really, really want to kiss her right now, but I can't. I promised myself I wouldn't do that until she said it first. I pull back and she gives me a slighly quizzical look. Dear lord, I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the next ten days. 

After she leaves my office, I pick up the phone and call Sam and told him that she said yes although I highly doubt that he was surprised by that.

"You should know that after you left, CJ and Leo made a bet for $100 on who would say 'l love you' first. CJ is still convinced that Donna won't say it first," he tells me.

"Well CJ is about to lose some money. So have you and Joey decided which movie we will be watching yet?" I question.

"No, but we've narrowed down the choices. I think we are going with a romantic comedy," he tells me.

"That's fine with me. It'll put Donna in the right mood, but you get the job of informing Toby that he will be sitting through a girly movie," I inform him with a laugh.

"Gee thanks, its not like I'm doing this as a favor for you or anything." He says a I start to reply but he interupts me "I was just kiding I'll handle Toby. What time did you tell Donna to be there?" he asks.

"8:00"

"Okay then, I'll tell everybody else to be there at 7:30 for the briefing and to receive their seating arrangements. Well, I've got to go work on a draft with Toby. I'll meet with Joey tonight to work out the final details for tomorrow. See you later," he says as he hangs up.

Well, today has been a good day and tomorrow looks promising too.   



End file.
